SDS100 quick performance review

[wnjl]

I got my SDS100 today. Did a bit of listening with it so far and I've been most impressed with how it's handled Camden County's Phase II system. Now I usually do not try to listen to the system from within the county limits, but even in the times I have, the TRX-1 is absolutely dreadful with it and the 436, while it has a better decode rate, often endures an audio quality struggle.

Here's a quick video I made of the SDS100 from the Starbucks on 541 in Medford. I would have filmed a TRX-1 video, but there would be silence. It does not decode the Camco system in Medford. This is with the RS800 whip. I have never used a G4/G5 or an actual Motorola receiver, so my testing baseline is not perfect. But I am very impressed.

https://youtu.be/W2WHuaIBHUY

That's in Medford but I also heard the Camden system well into Tabernacle just with the RS800 whip mobile. Again, absolutely not possible with the TRX-1 or 436.

Other observations in just a few hours of listening:

- The SDS100 also handles the NJICS system very well. I had no trouble pulling in the Bordentown simulcast throughout Eastampton/Southampton. I would have done a video of NJICS had I not been blown away by the SDS100's decoding of Camden.

- The TRX-1 does a great job on Burlington County's system, but I would say the SDS100 is pretty close to its equal. None of the issues I have been seeing on the 436 recently as well with mixed up transmissions on wrong talkgroups (someone else posted about this on RR recently - I've definitely noticed it too!).

- Very good reception by the SDS100 on the NJSP analog system too.

- VHF reception on the SDS100 I have not been blown away with so far. I would probably say it's below the TRX-1. I have not thoroughly compared VHF to the 436 yet. Very small sample size.

Overall, I am definitely going to keep this scanner and am anxious to test it out on other area systems. I don't even program in Philly anymore - it's an afterthought scanning in South Jersey. Maybe not with the SDS!

 

[scannersnstuff]

Very nice review and video. Nice to hear from a fellow Jersian, on the sds-100. I wish you much enjoyment with it.

 

[policefreak]

That sounds very good! I know the Camden County P25 system very well. That display is wild. I also like how it silences audio on the encrypted talkgroups.

Now maybe I'm being picky, but it seems like even when the scanner wasn't hung up on one of the encrypted talkgroups that there were several transmissions the scanner came in late. Did anyone else catch that?

FWIW I bet you could get Philly with this scanner. I seem to remember many times going to that same Starbucks with my 436 and hearing Philly, but you had to set the squelch to 0. I'm only about 10 miles from that Starbucks and 15 miles from Southampton. Let me know if you want to compare if and when I get my SDS100 .

 

[RadioDitch]

I got to put my SDS100 through one of its toughest trials this morning on Connecticut State Police's Motorola Type II system using P25 Phase I. With the Larsen Triband hole mounted on the roof of the truck, it was struggling, with moments of crystal clear decode, and other moments of choppy inconsistent audio. Particularly on the Troop G Simulcast and not so well on the Troop A/I Simulcast either. Doesn't sound like an endorsement of the unit, but it actually really is.

Every other scanner has always just gone silent for long periods just choking on it entirely. On the Merritt Parkway between Greenwich and Trumbull, the HP2 will be quiet a good chunk of the time despite pretty constant traffic.

Once again, the SDS100 prevails and impresses.

 

[fmulder13]

I've had a similar experience running the Larsen Tri-Band into the SDS 100 out here in Minnesota. Try the same locations with the stock antenna, or a dedicated 800mhz antenna. I've had choppy audio/dropped CCs with the Larsen in locations where the stock/Laird phantom antennae have it working fine. I wonder if the Larsen doesn't pull in interference that the SDS can't handle...

 

[RadioDitch]

I've had a similar experience running the Larsen Tri-Band into the SDS 100 out here in Minnesota. Try the same locations with the stock antenna, or a dedicated 800mhz antenna. I've had choppy audio/dropped CCs with the Larsen in locations where the stock/Laird phantom antennae have it working fine. I wonder if the Larsen doesn't pull in interference that the SDS can't handle...

I had the same thought, but when I swapped it for the PCTEL Maxrad MAX8375 800MHz, there was no improvement. Nor with the stock duck. In this case it's just Connecticut State Police's system. It's a headache of a system to monitor. If you look at other forums, you'll see CT guys remarking minimal improvement.

But again...while far from perfect in this test, the SDS100 still did VERY significantly better than anything else ever has on the CSP system. And it's still kicking serious butt on the NJICS and various other systems.

 

[DocDaddy]

SDS100 Battery Light...

I understand the red light means the battery is charging... and the green light means the battery is charged.

But, what does the blue light mean?

 

[APX8000]

The police are coming !


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[wnjl]

That sounds very good! I know the Camden County P25 system very well. That display is wild. I also like how it silences audio on the encrypted talkgroups.

Now maybe I'm being picky, but it seems like even when the scanner wasn't hung up on one of the encrypted talkgroups that there were several transmissions the scanner came in late. Did anyone else catch that?

FWIW I bet you could get Philly with this scanner. I seem to remember many times going to that same Starbucks with my 436 and hearing Philly, but you had to set the squelch to 0. I'm only about 10 miles from that Starbucks and 15 miles from Southampton. Let me know if you want to compare if and when I get my SDS100 .

I will hold you to that! An Oak Shade Road scanner shootout, haha! Just let me know if you take the plunge.

I really have not noticed chopped off conversations. I know that was an issue with the 436 in the early stages. The video probably doesn't do it complete justice.

I tried programming in Philly and I heard it walking around Smithville Park in Eastampton this evening. I would not have even attempted this with any other scanner. I had the squelch level at 1 and it wasn't always perfect, but the system was there in many spots and decoding. I will do what I can to get a video from a reasonable location in the next couple days.

 

[UPMan]

The blue light means you've set a channel alert with blue as the selected color and that channel is active.

 

[DocDaddy]

SDS100 Battery Light...

The blue light means you've set a channel alert with blue as the selected color and that channel is active.

Thanks UPMan....

 

[nosoup4u]

I just got mine yesterday. NJICS is an improvement. It wasn't that bad to begin with, 75-80% of the transmissions came in clear off the Hunterdon Sites, now its up around 95%. With my discone, I could barely get Morris County's system, maybe 20% hits. Now it is probably close to 100%.

 

[CM1]

Anyone monitor Middlesex County P25 PII w/ SDS100 ?

Has anyone monitored the Middlesex County P25 PII trunked system w/ their SDS100 ? home/mobile etc...?
What antenna did you use ? etc...? just curious on how this scanner performed on this system.

 

[mondaro]

Here's the real question how is this radio when picking up conventional frequencies? love to see a test with trunked systems and conventional running at the same time. anyone have the screen blank out that has been widely reporting on other threads?

I am not moving on the radio until the SDS 100 has the new battery and battery door and my vendor has the radio in stock, not pissing away nearly a1000 dollars up front that's will all the upgrades and sitting here and waiting for a radio to arrive that's insane, a popular vendor wants people to do that before these current radios arrived, it seems by some of the reviews I might have made a wise choice.

Tony

 

[W2SJW]

Has anyone monitored the Middlesex County P25 PII trunked system w/ their SDS100 ? home/mobile etc...?
What antenna did you use ? etc...? just curious on how this scanner performed on this system.

Used it to listen to that exact system Monday at lunchtime. Performed flawlessly on decode.

I use Laird Tuff-Ducks as my monoband antennas, so I had the 3" 800 stubby on the unit.

 

[AC2OY]

So in the opinions of people who own a 536 and now this radio.... Is this 100 a better radio,scanner,reciever...than the 536? I suppose a better question would be will there be a base version coming out as well?

 

[nosoup4u]

I have had a chance to play with mine over the last day and have some observations.

Digital decoding is great. As with everything, your mileage may vary depending on where you are.

I found the analog audio to be different from the x36 and TRX radios. It has a different pitch to it. Weak signals sound different also. I am not sure I would say better or worse, just different. Some VHF signals seem to come in better, some worse. It might just be the new receiver and the way it processes the audio.

I have noticed some interference on some signals that I did not notice on the 436. Nothing major, but I did notice it.

I can just get Allentown and Bethlehem with the RS/Remtronix antenna with the 436. Neither one come in on the SDS, even though the analyze shows I have a good signal. They do come in when I hook it up to my discone.

Finally, and I think this is my fault because I create my own scan lists, I find my audio levels between analog and digital to be much different, with digital being a couple steps lower. I am using the same programming as my 436, so there is a change between the way it processes audio between the old and new radio.

 

[nosoup4u]

Quick update: after I updated to the beta firmware that came out today, my Bethlehem reception improved. It isn't where my 436 was but it is close.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[policefreak]

I will hold you to that! An Oak Shade Road scanner shootout, haha! Just let me know if you take the plunge.

I really have not noticed chopped off conversations. I know that was an issue with the 436 in the early stages. The video probably doesn't do it complete justice.

I tried programming in Philly and I heard it walking around Smithville Park in Eastampton this evening. I would not have even attempted this with any other scanner. I had the squelch level at 1 and it wasn't always perfect, but the system was there in many spots and decoding. I will do what I can to get a video from a reasonable location in the next couple days.

Yea I remember Philly can be heard on the 436 in that area from about the Rt 206/70 circle on northward, including Smithville Park. But the trees definitely eat up the signal. Anywhere north of 206 and Woodlane Road or West of that point Philly reception is excellent. I'd be interested to see what the SDS 100 gives you. Btw check your PM wnjl.

 

[n2pqq]

Here is a short Video of the West Orange site .
I am in Orange County NY Approx 40 Miles away.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7rLv2rcqJs